VICTORIA PARK TENNIS CLUB

Despite repeated and documented requests for clarity from the City of Cambridge Municipal By-Law Compliance Team, a significant number of questions remain unanswered.  These outstanding matters are not trivial—they pertain to regulations, enforcement, and civic responsibilities that directly affect the daily lives of our community members.  The absence of timely and substantive responses reflects a concerning lack of accountability.  The following list of questions, submitted in good faith and with reasonable expectation of a reply, must be addressed without further delay.

 June 11, 2025

• Could By-law please answer the by-law questions. 

June 4, 2025

• To address these challenges, a Cambridge Cricket Feasibility Study is nearing completion and will evaluate several locations the city has identified as potential future cricket pitches.  Will any of these future cricket pitches serve as a replacement to the pitch in Victoria Park?
• Groups will be consulted in the coming weeks to present those options.  This is when you would have the opportunity to voice your concerns and provide feedback on the plan.  Who are the groups that are you consulting? 
• The result of that study is anticipated to create capital project submission for Council to consider as part of the annual budget process.  What is the current budget allocated to the sport of cricket?  How much has been spent in the current fiscal year (including the repairs in May to the pitch in Victoria Park)?
• We are also actively involved with a regional initiative to understand the profile of needs in our respective municipalities to support cricket both at an informal and organized play level.  What does this actually mean?  What will it produce, and at what cost?
• City staff are meeting with Parks staff to review how cricket and baseball fields are being booked to ensure fair and safe use.  How are the fields currently being booked?  When can we expect to hear the output of this review?
• City staff are working with Parks staff to review the netting and determine if any further modifications are possible to reduce the incident of balls entering the courts.  This is an exercise which should have been done before constructing the nets.  VPTC, nor CCC feel this was a solution to any of the safety issues and serves no purpose.  VPTC did not request the netting and advised against this expense.  What was the cost of the netting and which sport were the costs associated with?
• City staff are also looking into signage to help everyone enjoy the park more comfortably.  What are the signage options being considered?  Who is ‘everyone’ and does it prioritize the taxpayers?   Signage is not a solution as it gets ignored and does not get enforced.
• All park users are encouraged to remain aware and respectful during their visits to the park.  How is this message being communicated to the park users causing the problems? 
• By-law enforcement and security staff will increase patrols between the hours of 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM on weekdays (sporadically due to limited resources). If you do observe an active parking violation, please contact Waterloo Regional Non-Emergency 519-570-9777 press 1 and Municipal Bylaw officer will be dispatched.  Will the additional patrols also enforce the posted by-law (no hardball without permit)?  What is the penalty for using a hardball without a permit?  Are all players on the field receiving a fine or is a single fine issued (then split 20 ways and just a minor cost of playing)?
• All questions UNANSWERED

June 27, 2025

• What are the details of the posted permit for the use of a hardball during cricket play in Victoria Park?
• When will By-law 162-10 be formally updated to include specific details about cricket play in parks?
• As recently as June 2023, signage stated "Cricket Play by Permit Only" in Victoria Park.  This was removed in May 2024.  Since this permit requirement helped address some current issues, why was it discontinued?
• What are the permit details, rules, or restrictions for the use of the minor baseball diamond in Victoria Park?
• Does the City apply the same rules and permitting processes to cricket as they do to baseball?
• How does the City define a “nuisance” under By-law No. 162-10, Section 3(b): "Create a nuisance or in any way interfere with the use and enjoyment of the park by other persons"?
• Some nearby residents have recently approached the tennis club with similar concerns regarding park usage.  To whom should we direct these inquiries?
• Given the extensive list of valid reasons why cricket play is unsuitable for Victoria Park, what is the City’s overriding reason for allowing it to continue despite the associated risks?
• Will the City suspend cricket play in Victoria Park immediately—before a serious injury or fatality occurs? If not, why?
• All questions UNANSWERED

May 15, 2025

• If Highland Public School requires a permit to run an organized track and field event for children in their neighbouring park, shouldn't the same requirement apply to groups of adults traveling from other cities to play in Victoria Park?  UNANSWERED

April 25, 2025

• As an immediate concern, VPTC has its Registration Day scheduled for Saturday, April 26th, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. We expect members to cross the park from various directions, with many parking along Wentworth Ave. Last year, a cricket ball narrowly missed a senior member standing near the VPTC gates during this event. For safety reasons, we kindly request the City By-Law Department to temporarily pause cricket play on Saturday morning.  UNANSWERED